Lesley Lay, BSN, CPAN Named 2021 Advocacy Award Recipient

Every year ABPANC recognizes a CPAN or CAPA certified nurse who exemplifies leadership as a patient advocate with its highest honor, the Advocacy Award. ABPANC is pleased to present the award this year to Lesley Lay, BSN, CPAN.

The Advocacy Award winner is normally recognized and celebrated publicly at the ABPANC CPAN/CAPA Celebration Luncheon during the annual ASPAN National Conference. While this year’s conference was a virtual one due to COVID-19, ABPANC is virtually honoring and celebrating this year’s deserving recipient, Lesley Lay, BSN, CPAN.

Lesley was nominated by her colleague David Reister, BSN, CAPA, CPAN. Lesley works in the PACU/Pre-Op unit of the University of Kentucky Medical Center. David relayed the following information as part of Lesley’s nomination:

“I was a witness to a very compassionate nurse. Lesley and I were getting a patient ready for a liver transplant in pre-op. The patient’s husband was able to stay with her during the pre-op time. It was obvious to me that both the patient and husband were very anxious about the surgery. What also contributed to the anxiety was the fact that her parents and son were not able to visit with her prior to surgery because of the COVID-19 visitation rules in effect. Lesley was very attentive to this and was able to speak with the patient and comfort her and her husband to decrease their anxiety.

“The husband was using his phone to FaceTime the family before surgery. The pre-op area is on the second floor and it just so happens that this patient was in a room that was visible to the front and also has a window view of the Shriner’s Hospital. While the husband was outside on the phone with the family, Lesley came up with the idea to have the family come outside of the hospital to the street so that the patient could get up and walk to the window to see her family outside. It didn’t take them long to scurry to the front of the hospital so that they could position themselves to see their daughter. The husband was able to position them in front of the correct window while on the phone with them. When the daughter got out of her bed and walked to the window, IT WAS BEAUTIFUL. Both parents were jumping up and down on the streets outside and giving their daughter a virtual hug on the street, all the while tears pouring from their eyes. The patient herself was returning the virtual hug and bawled up with tears at the window. Her attitude and will to have this surgery changed immediately. She couldn’t wait to get her new liver. She was so thankful to Lesley, who was also in tears.

“Sometimes we as nurses have to realize the ability we have to change people’s lives, and that we can do things out of the ordinary to help with the healing process. Upon following this patient after her transplant, she only stayed in the ICU for a couple of days. She was so thankful that Lesley came up with the simple gesture that was able to give her a much better feeling about going into her surgery. The patient also believed that is what helped her do so well after the surgery to get better so quickly and wanted Lesley to know that.

“Lesley has been an excellent nurse in our PACU now for 12 years and has served on multiple hospital committees. She has also won the Daisy Award at her hospital because of her excellent nursing practice.

Lesley is currently CPAN certified with hopes of obtaining her CAPA also. She is a great asset to our unit and always a great preceptor to multiple new RNs. She also is a CPAN certification coach and a member of KSPAN. Lesley has not let the COVID-19 crisis put any damper on caring for all of her patients. She frequently cares for COVID-positive patients that are getting ready for surgery; she has such a calming and reassuring effect on her patients.”

Congratulations to Lesley on this outstanding honor and for her compassionate care as a PACU nurse.

“Lesley truly exemplifies all that the ABPANC Advocacy Award and perianesthesia nursing certification represents,” said Krista Bower, ABPANC CEO. “We applaud Lesley for her commitment to quality patient care and advocacy; not only during the very difficult times presented to nurses in 2020 but at all times sharing her advanced knowledge and expertise in perianesthesia care.”